Grid for article caser apparatus

ABSTRACT

The grid for this article caser includes longitudinally extending partition means and rows of abutted articles are fed thereto for deposit into a case while retractable longitudinally extending article slide support members are present in the grid. Individual drop areas are outlined in the grid by members including a plurality of drop fingers for each drop area, some of which drop fingers extend perpendicular to the partition means and are characterized by having the upper ends of the drop fingers at progressively lower levels in both upstream and downstream directions from a longitudinally centered portion of the grid.

United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,922,836

McGill 1 Dec. 2, 1975 GRID FOR ARTICLE CASER APPARATUS [75] Inventor: Robert W. McGill, Munroe Falls, Primm'y ExaminerT mvls McGehee Ohio Attorney, Agent, or F1rm-Oldham & Oldham Co.

[73] Assignee: A-T-O lnc., Willoughby, Ohio 57 ABSTRACT [22] Fil d; D 2 1974 The grid for this article caser includes longitudinally extending partition means and rows of abutted articles [21] Appl 536426 are fed thereto for deposit into a case while retractable longitudinally extending article slide support 52 us. (:1. 53/248; 53/262; 193/25 3 members are present in the grid Individual p areas 51 1 1m. c1. B65B 39/02 are Outlined in the grid y members including P 58 Field of Search 53/248, 262; 193/25 A, y of p fingers for each p area some of which 193/25 E 25 5 32 drop fingers extend perpendicular to the partition means and are characterized by having the upper ends [56] References Cit d of the drop fingers at progressively lower levels in UNITED STATES PATENTS both upstream and downstream directions from a lon- 2,540,743 2/1951 Leach 53/248 x g'tudmany Centered porno of the 3,057,136 l0/l962 Walter 53/248 X 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,922,836

FIG-4 FIG. 5

GRID FOR ARTICLE CASER APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates to article caser apparatus such as is shown in and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,052,071. Additionally, the grids used in article caser apparatus of this type are shown in other patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,385,027.

In the processing of these rows of abutted articles for drop into a carrier case, it is important that the bottles drop rapidly and safely and that they be readily arranged on the grid for article drop action. These article casers function rapidly and automatically and any interference in the drop action causes appreciable disruption and usually stoppage of the entire caser and article processing line or apparatus.

It is especially difficult to drop square articles or containers into the cases because the articles as fed to the grid are abutted, and such abutment extends nearly the entire vertical heights of the articles whereby the square articles tend to get caught in or hang up in the grids and not deposit rapidly and automatically from the grids. The articles usually need to be spaced apart slightly to seat in the carrier properly.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved grid characterized by the provision of groups of drop fingers outlining individual drop areas and wherein the upper ends of the transversely positioned drop fingers are at progressively lower levels in both upstream and downstream directions from a longitudinally centered portion of the grid.

Another object of the invention is to modify grids to facilitate article separation action in a row of abutted articles as the articles are being dropped through a grid for deposit into a carrier case.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively uncomplicated but sturdy grid especially adapted for processing square articles for article deposit action.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.

Reference now is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan of a grid embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the grid of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of one partition member of the grid of FIG. 1 showing the spring drop fingers associated therewith and carried thereby;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section of the grid showing the transversely positioned drop fingers in the grid; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan of the grid showing the drop fingers.

When referring to corresponding members shown in the drawings and identified in the specification, corresponding numerals are used to facilitate comparison therebetween. I

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to conventional grids including longitudinally extending partition members, retractable longitudinally extending article slide support bars, and spring drop fingers defining individual drop areas for the individual articles being processed and characterized by a pair of drop fingers for each drop area extending perpendicularly to the partition means; the drop fingers of such pairs being operatively positioned on the partition members to have the upper ends of such drop fingers be at progressively lower levels in both upstream and downstream directions from a longitudinally centered area of the grid.

Reference is made to the copending application Ser. No. 536,425 filed Dec. 26, 1974 that describes the grid positioning means and action in more detail.

The grid of the invention is indicated as a whole by the numeral 10, and it includes a frame 12 having an upper slide frame 14 operatively carried thereby. The grid includes a plurality of longitudinally extending partition plates 16, 18, 20 and 22 and with each pair of adjacent partition plates forming a longitudinally extending guide for individual rows or streams of abutted articles being processed in the apparatus and being fed into the grid for positioning thereon for deposit into an associated carrier case, or for other action.

A plurality of sets of drop fingers are provided in longitudinally abutting portions of the feed rows defined by the pairs of partition plates in the grid so that four drop fingers 24, 26, 28 and 30 are provided in the grid for each drop area thereof. Such positioning of these drop fingers is illustrated in and described in general in U.S. Pat. No. 3,385,027. The present invention is particularly concerned with the transversely extending drop fingers 26 and 30 of each drop area. These transversely extending drop fingers are secured on the individual partition plates to depend therefrom as by brackets 32 but any suitable means can be used to position these transversely extending members or drop fingers on the partition plates without any support means extending completely across between the adjacent pairs of partition plates. Upper ends of the drop fingers can be secured as by rivets 34 to the individual brack ets, and the upper ends of the drop fingers are beveled as indicated at 36, and the upper ends of the drop fingers 26 and 30 preferably have radiused ends to avoid any sharp or flat top surface that could be an obstruction in the drop action of the articles being processed.

In use of the grid of the invention, streams of abutted articles are fed into the grid for arrangement and positioning therein for drop into an associated carrier case to fill the same. This apparatus is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,052,071 and these streams of abutted articles flowing into the case are supported on slide bars suitably secured to and carried by the slide frame 14 so as to extend longitudinally of the grid centrally of the pairs of partition plates provided. FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings best show the slide bars and entire slide frame 14 is adapted to be moved transversely or laterally of the grid when the grid is filled with articles and the grid is ready for article deposit action. At such time, the group of articles received on the grid are centered longitudinally of the grid in a known manner and further feed of articles to the grid is stopped. FIG. 3 of the drawings shows a plurality of the articles 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 indicating how the articles 44 and are centered at the transversely extending fingers 26a and 30a, as abutted at the longitudinal center of the grid 10. Such articles 44 and 45 are substantially vertically aligned with the center drop areas or openings in the grid. The articles 43 and 46, as well as the other articles 42 and 47 at the upstream and downstream ends of the grid are progressively slightly further out of alignment with the individual drop areas provided for such articles. However, by centering the articles 44 and 45 at the longitudinal center of the grid,

then the individual misalignments of the individual articles for the individual drop zones or areas provided therefor is relatively small.

These articles are all positioned on the individual slide bars 40 in the feed rows set up in the grid, and these slide bars can be moved laterally as a unit by the slide frame 14 in a known manner so as to be moved in under overhanging sections 50 provided on each of the partition plates and thus release the articles for deposit into the cases positioned below the grid.

It is a feature of the invention that the transversely extending drop fingers are positioned to have their upper ends at progressively lower levels or heights in both upstream and downstream directions from the longitudinal center of the grid. Hence, FIG. 3 clearly shows that the drop fingers 26a and 30a have their upper ends at the highest level in the grid whereas, then moving in an upstream direction, the next adjacent drop finger 30b, for cooperation with the drop finger 26a, has its upper end at a lower level than that of the drop fingers 26a, while the drop finger 26b for the next drop zone is at the same level, preferably, as the associated drop finger 30b whereas the opposed transversely extending drop finger 300 is at a lower level from the upper end of the drop finger 2612. Likewise, for the end drop area, the initial drop finger 26c from the center of the grid is at the same height as the drop finger 30c and the end drop finger 30d can be at the same height as the drop fingers 26a and 30a since normally the article 47 dropped through the drop area defined partially by the fingers 30d and 26c has no interference from the finger 30d which is positioned upstream of the article on the grid. Likewise, the drop fingers for the downstream drop areas from the center of the grid are of progressively lower heights. By this descending positioning of the upper ends of the drop fingers from the center of the grid, it has been found that substantially all types of articles, and especially articles having substantially square containers or containers having flat front and rear vertical surfaces will drop smoothly and rapidly through the grid 10.

As previously stated, the articles 44 and 45 are aligned with the drop fingers 26a and 30a that guide them into the proper drop area. These articles usually may incline slightly from a direct vertical position as they start to drop through the grid 10, and this action aids the next adjacent articles 43 and 46 to move slightly longitudinally of the grid for deposit in their associated drop areas and the same progressive deposit action for the end articles 42 and 47 greatly facilitates a smooth drop of these articles through the end drop zones or areas provided as the progressively lower drop fingers aid the articles in sliding through the grid.

The construction shown is for a grid receiving three rows of abutted articles with each row containing six articles. For rows containing an uneven number of articles, the drop fingers for the center article would include opposed fingers usually at the maximum height and other transversely extending drop fingers would be at low heights. For example, if opposed fingers 26a and 30b were at the same height, the finger 26b would be at the same height and the opposed finger 30c at a lower height with the fingers 26c, etc. Or, it would be possible to have the fingers progressively lower starting with a top end finger 30d, its opposed finger 260 at a lower level, etc. and continuing progressively lower to the opposite end finger 306 which could be at the height of the finger 30d. But it is preferred to have the articles centered at the center of the grid and have the fingers progressively at lower heights in both directions.

The streams of articles being fed into the grid 10 may be provided with article feed control means 60 of the type as shown in US. Pat. No. 3,421,285.

The articles being processed may be moved as a group a short distance from the control means 60, as shown in FIG. 3, when ready for drop action.

Furthermore, any control action required in the grid to terminate feed of additional articles thereto, and to provide the desired control of the grid and the articles thereon, are of types known heretofore, as represented by the teachings in US. Pat. No. 3,052,071.

The various spring drop fingers provided in the grid of the invention can be of modified vertical lengths as shown in FIG. 3 wherein the individual drop fingers terminate in a horizontal plane at their lower ends. The fingers are shaped to provide a good quadrilateral enclosure for the article being dropped therethrough. Such article normally has radiused lower outer edges to aid in leading the article into its proper drop zone as the article moves downwardly.

The apparatus of the invention is relatively easy to construct from conventional types of grids as only relatively minor alterations are required therein to position the upper ends of the drop fingers at progressively lower levels to obtain improved article processing and dropping actions. The apparatus is sturdy and requires a minimum of maintenance. Hence, the objects of the invention have been achieved.

While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of this particular embodiment of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a grid for an article caser supplying rows of abutted articles for deposit into a case, the grid including longitudinally extending partition means, retractible longitudinally extending article slide support members, and spring drop fingers defining individual drop areas for individual articles, a plurality of individual drop areas being formed in longitudinally aligned relation between each adjacent pair of said partition means, and characterized by a pair of drop fingers for each drop area extending perpendicularly to said partition means, said drop fingers of said pairs being operatively positioned on said partition members with theupper ends of such drop fingers at progressively lower levels in at least one direction from one part of the grid except for the drop fingers at at least one end of the grid.

2. In a grid as in claim 1 where said drop fingers extending perpendicularly to said partition means have beveled and curved upper ends to prevent articles from catching on the upper ends of such drop fingers.

3. In a grid as in claim 1 where the upper ends of said drop fingers are progressively lower in both directions from a center portion of the grid.

4. In a grid as in claim 1 especially adapted for processing square articles having some curvature at the bottom corners thereof, two of said drop fingers for longitudinally abutting drop areas being mounted on a common flange extending perpendicularly to said partition means to form a thin assembly for engaging a pair of abutted articles to separate them longitudinally of the grid as the articles are dropped through the grid.

5. In a grid as in claim 1 where the lower ends of said drop fingers are horizontally aligned.

6. In a grid for an article caser supplying rows of abutted articles for deposit into a case, the grid including longitudinally extending partition means, retractible longitudinally extending article slide support members, and spring drop fingers on and depending from the partition means and defining individual drop areas for individual articles, a plurality of individual drop areas being formed in longitudinally aligned relation between each adjacent pair of said partition means, a pair of drop fingers for each drop area extending perpendicularly to said partition means, and characterized by said drop fingers of said pairs being operatively positioned on said partition members with the upper ends of such drop fingers at progressively lower levels in both upstream and downstream directions from a longitudinally centered part of the grid; each drop area having an upstream and a downstream transversely extending drop finger and the upper ends of each drop fingers being at different levels.

7. In a grid for an article caser as in claim 6 where both upstream and downstream end drop areas are provided in the grid, and where the upstream drop finger for the upstream end drop area has its upper end higher than the upper end of the downstream drop finger for such area, and the downstream drop finger of the end downstream drop area has its upper end higher than the upper end of the upstream drop finger for such area. 

1. In a grid for an article caser supplying rows of abutted articles for deposit into a case, the grid including longitudinally extending partition means, retractible longitudinally extending article slide support members, and spring drop fingers defining individual drop areas for individual articles, a plurality of individual drop areas being formed in longitudinally aligned relation between each adjacent pair of said partition means, and characterized by a pair of drop fingers for each drop area extending perpendicularly to said partition means, said drop fingers of said pairs being operatively positioned on said partition members with the upper ends of such drop fingers at progressively lower levels in at least one direction from one part of the grid except for the drop fingers at at least one end of the grid.
 2. In a grid as in claim 1 where said drop fingers extending perpendicularly to said partition means have beveled and curved upper ends to prevent articles from catching on the upper ends of such drop fingers.
 3. In a grid as in claim 1 where the upper ends of said drop fingers are progressively lower in both directions from a center portion of the grid.
 4. In a grid as in claim 1 especially adapted for processing square articles having some curvature at the bottom corners thereof, two of said drop fingers for longitudinally abutting drop areas being mounted on a common flange extending perpendicularly to said partition means to form a thin assembly for engaging a pair of abutted articles to separate them longitudinally of the grid as the articles are dropped through the grid.
 5. In a grid as in claim 1 where the lower ends of said drop fingers are horizontally aligned.
 6. In a grid for an article caser supplying rows of abutted articles for deposit into a case, the grid including longitudinally extending partition means, retractible longitudinally extending article slide support members, and spring drop fingers on and depending from the partition means and defining individual drop areas for individual articles, a plurality of individual drop areas being formed in longitudinally aligned relation between each adjacent pair of said partition means, a pair of drop fingers for each drop area extending perpendicularly to said partition means, and characterized by said drop fingers of said pairs being operatively positioned on said partition members with the upper ends of such drOp fingers at progressively lower levels in both upstream and downstream directions from a longitudinally centered part of the grid; each drop area having an upstream and a downstream transversely extending drop finger and the upper ends of each drop fingers being at different levels.
 7. In a grid for an article caser as in claim 6 where both upstream and downstream end drop areas are provided in the grid, and where the upstream drop finger for the upstream end drop area has its upper end higher than the upper end of the downstream drop finger for such area, and the downstream drop finger of the end downstream drop area has its upper end higher than the upper end of the upstream drop finger for such area. 